GeForce FX 5200 + Direct3D = crap

[ShawnD1]

I just got a new GeForce FX 5200 and it runs fantastic in OpenGL mode but it really really sucks in Direct3D. In the game Half-Life in OpenGL mode, I can have a steady 60FPS at 800 x 600 in heavy action. If I switch it to Direct3D, my FPS can't stay above 40 even when I'm not turning or moving. In Direct3D everything is choppy when moving or looking around.
This also happens in Diablo2. In DirectDraw 2D mode, I can get 70 FPS and it doesn't drop, very smooth and it's nice. If I put the game in Direct3D, the FPS will be around 70 then then other characters are on screen like monsters or other players, the FPS just plunges down to 20 and it gets all choppy and slow. It's like I was playing on a Pentium 2.

I have the latest Nvidia drivers for the card and I'm using DirectX version 9.

Is this a known problem?

[Telexen]

Is this a new card? Did you install it without formatting your hard drive? If so did you completely remove the drivers from your old card? What are your other specs?

[ShawnD1]

I did NOT format the drive
I removed the previous Nvidia drivers and previous video card from existance (remove device)
Yes this is a new card.
The brand of the card is MSI

It's just D3D that has these problems. The card runs great in OpenGL and DirectDraw (used in Diablo2).

[Atomic Rooster]

Originally posted by ShawnD1
Is this a known problem?

Yes it is. The best solution is to NOT USE D3D!! Those games look and run much better in OpenGL because that's what they were designed to play optimally in.

[ShawnD1]

Many games don't support OpenGL though. Diablo2 and Unreal Tournament are great examples of this.

UT does support OpenGL.

http://www.beyondunreal.com/main/ut/utessential.php

[ShawnD1]

Awesome, I might actually play UT again

[wackoguy]

hey halflife sux at direct 3d, its slower than using software or opengl on my comp.

[ShawnD1]

Hey here's something strange. I downloaded and ran 3DMark 2001 from madonion.com to check the speed of my video card. All of the tests done by that program are run in Direct3D mode it says, the card did fairly crappy through some of the tests then at the end the score was just over 4200. That is the EXACT same score that my GeForce2 Ti200 got when i ran that program over a year ago.

Direct3D really does suck I guess lol.

http://www.glexcess.com/

Test out your OpenGL performance!!

Now is it matching some sort of GeForce 2 or the GeForce 3 Ti200?